


at every table, i'll save you a seat

by uneventfulhouses



Series: imagine me and you [2]
Category: Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series), Watcher Entertainment
Genre: Anal Sex, Barebacking, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-25
Updated: 2020-02-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:35:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22891096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/uneventfulhouses/pseuds/uneventfulhouses
Summary: Shane is just on the cusp of sleep when he hears Ryan say, “Absolutely under no circumstances is there to be a basement in our house.”or; it's been a couple of years and things have been really, really good for ryan and shane.
Relationships: Ryan Bergara/Shane Madej
Series: imagine me and you [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1645399
Comments: 54
Kudos: 323





	at every table, i'll save you a seat

**Author's Note:**

> so, in the first part, there was so much talk about bathtubs. i originally had a scene i wanted to include, but had to slice it. and that 800 word scene turned into over 6k, so that's that. there is so much soft fluff in here it's ridiculous. 
> 
> title from t swizz's lover. this one's for you mel.
> 
> not beta'ed but it's all good. sorry for the typos tho.

Apartment hunting isn’t difficult since Shane’s reliant on two incomes and no children. Not that it matters because this is Los Angeles, and everything is exorbitantly _expensive_. 

Of course, he and Ryan have differing tastes on what they’d like to have, but for the most part, it’s simple enough. They work near each other, so it’s easy to pinpoint a location. The new place, of course, has to be dog friendly. 

Sitting on the couch of his current apartment, Shane scrolls through more listings and bookmarks some to send to Ryan. When he does, out of ten, two come back. Shane sighs. 

“Your dad is so fuckin’ picky,” Shane mutters to Bailey, and Bailey gives him a look as if to say she doesn’t really care. She’s huge, a giant golden lump laying lazy on the carpet; already two years old. They grow up so fast.

Looking back at his screen, Shane scrolls through his bookmarks, finding some old house listings he’d been looking at when he’d first wanted Bailey. That had been a solid two years ago. Most of the properties, as he flips through them, have occupants, so he starts a new search. Of course, the price points are higher and they’re farther away, but he revisits the spreadsheet they’d created for their budget and figures he can move a few things around; it works, gives him just enough space to find something small, but not cramped, something comfortable.

Listings show for quite a few places, and Shane feels like he’s going to tick many of Ryan’s boxes with these. It feels a little like a breakthrough.

Just then, Ryan waltzes through the door, shutting it behind him and all but tackling Shane on the sofa, nearly knocking his laptop to the ground. 

“ _Ryan_ , Jesus,” Shane huffs. Bailey yelps happily, rushing up to Ryan, demanding attention Ryan gives with his hand, scratching her behind the ear. Her tail thumps against the floor as she pants. 

“Hi, good girl,” Ryan says, cooing at her. “Were you a good girl today? Bet you were!” 

Shane can’t help but smile at the display, how much brighter Ryan becomes when he comes home from a long day. 

When Bailey gets her fill, she lopes away, wandering around the living room, and Ryan tries to pry Shane’s laptop away from him. 

“Pay attention to me,” Ryan whines when Shane tries to shove him off, laughing all the while. 

“I’m busy,” Shane says, resettling his laptop over his thighs. 

“You can be busy later,” Ryan insists, shoving a hand underneath Shane’s t-shirt, pressing fingers against his side. 

“What’s gotten into you?” Shane says, looking over at Ryan, all the adoration in his eyes.

“Just missed you is all.” 

There are moments like these, where Ryan seems to look at Shane, study him for a handful of seconds before knowing exactly what to say to make him feel like there can’t possibly be anyone else in the entirety of the universe that could match him the way Ryan matches him. 

“What if we moved into a house?” Shane asks.

Ryan gives him a soft look, with his wide brown eyes. “A house?” he asks.

“Yeah.” 

“Like adults?”

“Yeah.” 

“With me?” 

“ _Yes_. It’s not much different than an apartment, Ry.” 

“Well, no, but the connotations of having a house with someone is a lot _more_.” 

“In what sense?”

“Well. Like there’s, _this is my apartment I share with my boyfriend._ And then there’s _, this is the home I share with my partner_.” 

Shane smiles. “You think it’s more serious?”

“It’s a lot more serious! There’s garages. And driveways. And pulling out the trash the night before, and mowing the lawn. I’m just gonna go ahead and let you do that, cause I’ve mowed enough lawns to last a lifetime.” 

“You can’t just _opt-out_. It’s your lawn, too.” 

Ryan laughs and kisses Shane’s shoulder. “I would love to mow lawns with you,” he says, and Shane’s possibly never been so in love with a person before Ryan. 

“I found some places—” 

That can apparently wait, because moving into a house apparently makes Ryan hot.

“Not in front of Bailey, Ryan!”

:::

Shane’s out of breath, lying on their bed, and Ryan is still rattling off home maintenance. 

“Gutters, Shane. Obviously, you’re taller so you get to do that. And pressure washing the driveway? I guess I could. And retaining walls. Do you know anything about retaining walls, Shane, because _I don’t_.”

No, Shane knows nothing about retaining walls, but it doesn’t really matter, because Ryan’s _excited_. He’s _planning_. 

“We’ll get to pick out curtains,” Shane offers, looking down at Ryan where he’s sprawled over Shane’s chest. Ryan’s cheeks are flushed, and his hair has fallen messy over his forehead, and he’s beautiful.

“I can’t believe you want to pick out curtains with me,” Ryan says. “ _Curtains_.”

:::

Shane is just on the cusp of sleep when he hears Ryan say, “Absolutely under no circumstances is there to be a _basement_ in our house.” 

:::

The next few weekends come with meeting homeowners renting their houses. They have five to start, and they’re all great, but each of them miss that _something_ that makes Ryan and Shane look at each other and decide that it’s the one. 

There are a lot of small living rooms, cramped bathrooms, and tiny backyards. 

It isn’t until one Sunday, they’re on the last of their list. The pictures hadn’t looked the most promising, but Ryan had convinced him to check it out. 

It was situated in a nice neighborhood, where the houses weren’t quite cookie-cutter, but it made him feel a bit like a Suburban dad.

The house itself is wellkept; it’s a single story, light grey in color boasting a vibrant red door. There’s a porch painted white, with cement steps that lead up to the doorway. In person, it’s much nicer than the photos lead on. Ryan holds his hand as they stroll up the walkway.

Standing near the door, stands a woman.

“You must be Ryan and Shane!” she chirps. “I’m Janice.” Her smile is bright. She’s older, maybe in her fifties if Shane had to guess. Her greying hair is cut blunt at her jaw, and she wears a frilly sundress. She reminds Shane of his grandmother. 

“It’s nice to meet you,” Ryan says, extending his hand out to her. She shakes it, and Shane does the same. “Shane and I are hoping this is the one.” 

“I hope so, too! The previous tenants just welcomed their second child and had to find a bigger place, but they seemed to love it.”

Janice shows them around, and immediately, as soon as he steps over the threshold, Shane can _see_ it. Ned had told him he’d be able to, that it’d be easy to see everything they owned settled in. Where the couch would be, the photographs on the wall, the dog bed in the corner. It was even easier, when Ryan left his side, walking around like maybe, possibly, he could see it, too. 

“Do you guys have kids?” Janice asks, standing towards the big window at the front of the room. 

“No,” Shane answers. “We do have a dog, though.” 

“A golden retriever,” Ryan supplies. “She’s an angel.” Ryan pulls out his phone and Janice looks eager to see the photographs, so Shane lets them be and takes another look around. The two bedrooms are sizable, and there are two bathrooms. The one in the master bedroom is ostentatiously enormous, but it features a bathtub Shane’s sure Ryan will love. 

There are tons of closets, and the backyard has enough space that Bailey can actually run herself to sleep. It’s, in a word, perfect. It’s exactly what they’d been looking for. 

When Shane makes it back to the front room, Janice and Ryan are chatting—about important things, Shane can tell, like the rent price, deposit, upkeep. Shane just observes, still looking at everything with this peculiar double vision. 

“Do we even have to think about it, Shane?” Ryan says, and Shane looks over, catches his big brown eyes looking at him. 

“You didn’t even look around,” Shane teases. 

“I just have a feeling,” Ryan says. “Don’t you?” 

The thing is, Shane has many feelings, a lot of them concerning the man standing across the room, looking at Shane like if Shane turns this house down, he might crumble. 

“I do,” Shane says.

“And this guy _never_ has feelings,” Ryan says playfully, and Janice laughs, laughs like she’s known them for years. 

“I’m going to step outside and let you guys take another walk through. If you’re sure, I’ll send you the information for the application.” 

She turns to leave, stepping her way through the front door and Ryan walks up to him, taking his hand. 

“It feels good in here,” Ryan says. “It’s clean and cute, and big enough for the three of us. We can use the extra bedroom for guests, and the kitchen is huge enough for parties. And the backyard! Bailey is gonna freak.” 

Shane just listens, because it _is_ perfect, and Ryan thinks so, too; Shane doesn’t believe in fate, not really, but the whole thing feels like it’s meant to be. 

“This is the one, then?” 

Ryan looks up at him, sunshine in his eyes, smile bright and wide. “It feels _good_ , Shane. I can already see you all over the house. I want this one.” 

“Okay.” 

Like he’d ever deny Ryan anything. 

:::

Packing is easier than he’d thought. Granted, he’s got Ryan helping him, just like he’d helped Ryan a year ago when he officially moved into Shane’s apartment. It takes them a few days to get paintings and art off the walls, box up Shane’s extensive collection of DVDs (“You know you can store these digitally now, don’t you, old man?” “Watch it, Ryan.”). Their clothes are a project, since they have so much. Shane doesn’t even know how he acquired this many pants, but c’est la vie. The story of Ryan’s basketball jerseys is another story entirely. (“You know you don’t actually play for the team, right?” “Shut up, Shane.”)

:::

When the approval comes through, they sign a lease, and Janice hands over the keys, and it feels bigger. It really does feel like more. 

:::

That night, they sit on the floor in the middle of the living room. There isn’t anything in the house but blankets and pillows, an empty pizza box and empty beer bottles. They’d brought overnight bags, and candles, and it’s all feeling more romantic than Shane would usually care for, but it feels right. 

In the soft golden glow of the candlelight, Ryan is beautiful laying underneath Shane. They kiss slowly, like they have infinite amount of time to, and it feels like they do. Shane’s got a tight grip on Ryan’s hip, keeping him close. Ryan’s fingers trip over the skin underneath Shane’s t-shirt, sighing so soft when Shane slips his hand over Ryan’s thigh. Ryan pulls back, just enough to say, “Why don’t you go let Bailey out?” 

There’s a thrill that melts into heat at the low-pitched sound of Ryan’s voice. “Yeah?” 

Ryan nods. “Come on, don’t keep me waiting,” he murmurs, pushing at Shane’s shoulder. 

“There aren’t any curtains, Ryan. Someone could see.” 

Ryan’s grin speaks volumes. “I know.” 

Shane shakes his head, but he gets up from the floor, calling Bailey to follow him before letting her outside. 

When he gets back to the front room, Ryan is still laying on the floor, but there are condoms and lube beside him. 

“We at least have to get under the blankets,” Shane says as he lowers himself and kisses Ryan with a renewed fervor. 

:::

Ryan’s thighs are shaking by the time Shane slides inside of him. His knees come up high up around Shane’s ribs, his hands gripping tight against Shane’s shoulders. Shane takes a minute, just for himself, because it’s not the first time he’s been with Ryan, but every time punches the breath right from his chest. 

Tonight, especially, feels like so much _more_ , and like he can tell, Ryan touches a hand to his face, coaxes him down into a kiss. 

“You okay?” he whispers, and Shane nods. 

“Just love you, is all,” shane murmurs in this moment of bare vulnerability. 

Ryan hums as his hands drift, settling against Shanes back. Ryan rolls his hips beneath Shane’s and Shane groans. He shifts, the blankets falling lower just a bit, as he strikes a rhythm that's slow, that makes Ryan gasp. 

“Yeah, yeah, just like that,” Ryan whispers, looking up at Shane with dark eyes, lips parted as he moans. 

The thing is, they aren’t a romantic couple. They like to tease each other, just this side of mean. They rile each other up until it’s almost a fight. They don’t agree on a lot, so the things they do agree on are _special._

Here, with Ryan watching him so closely, holding him so tight, there’s a burst of emotion in Shane's chest, burrowing deep inside of him, unwilling to stay hidden behind his careful barricade of walls. So, he hides his face in Ryan’s shoulder as he fucks him, still so slow and carefully measured, like Ryan can feel everything he wishes he could say. 

“You feel so good,” Shane whispers into Ryan’s throat, and Ryan shivers, fingers gripping hard into his flesh. 

“Come on, look at me, Shane,” Ryan says, “I wanna see you.” 

“I can’t,” Shane says. And he can feel Ryan's fingers in his hair, in the spaces of his ribs, pressing kisses to his temple. Shane keeps his eyes closed, even though the tears bleed through, no doubt dripping against Ryan's shoulder. Ryan just holds him closer. 

:::

Dressed cozy in pajamas after a quick shower, Shane helps Ryan situate the blankets onto the floor in the bedroom that will be theirs. Sleeping on the floor is gonna fuck up his back, but when he lays across the blankets, Ryan moves in close, arm wrapped around him, holding him. Shane will no doubt suffer if it means having this. 

The kiss they share is soft, sweet, seeping warmth between sinews and bones, an echo of the love they made earlier, when Ryan wordlessly brushed away tears that fell from Shane’s eyes, ran his fingers through Shane’s hair as he whispered Shane’s name over and over again. 

“We’re going to live here together,” Ryan murmurs against his lips, his voice marvelled. “It feels big.” 

“It is, kinda,” Shane relents. “Just think, we’ll do this all over again when we buy our own house.”

Ryan’s windchime laugh curls around the ventricles of Shane’s heart, like hitting the defrost button on the dash and watching the fog melt away from the windshield. Shane just feels so, so warm. 

Tucking his face into Shane’s chest, Ryan’s voice is muffled. “I really love you.” 

:::

They do indeed shop for curtains. That’s a fight in the middle of Ikea, one that has Ryan stomping away like a petulant child. (“You’ve picked everything else out so far, you have to _compromise,_ Ryan.”)

When they look at ottomans, it’s Shane that becomes upset, walking away from Ryan in the middle of the conversation. (“We obviously own a vacuum, don’t blame Bailey—Shane, _Shane_ , don’t fucking walk away—”)

They meet in the middle, looking at light fixtures, sharing apologies for overreacting. And Shane takes Ryan’s hand and they pick out matching lamps for the living room end tables. (“These are nice, right?” “Yeah, I like those.”)

:::

They build their bed with music blasting and Ryan singing along to bad pop songs. It goes easily, insert tab A into slot B. They struggle, though, maneuvering the box spring and the mattress, but once it’s set, they jump on it like children, laughing and laughing until Ryan drags him down, and they kiss for a long while, laughing into each other’s mouths. 

Eventually, they get the sheets on. _Eventually_. 

:::

In the kitchen, they decide where they’ll situate their glasses and mugs, the stacks of plates and bowls, and which drawer is best for spatulas and ladles and where the forks and spoons will go. 

It’s late, just after eleven, and they sit with the refrigerator door open, eating strawberries and grapes, trading fruity kisses on the kitchen floor. 

:::

It’s early summer, but Los Angeles is thick with heat. It sticks heavy on Shane’s shoulders as he sits on the deck in the backyard, sunglasses on, hidden underneath the cover of shade. He’s still at risk for burning. 

Bailey runs around freely along the edge of the fence chasing dreams; Ryan’s kneeling in the grass, measuring planks of wood for the doghouse he’s building for her. 

Watching Ryan is a real spectacle. He’s supposed to be reading; Shane feels like he’s dying of thirst, but the kind that lives in his dick. He’s been half hard for the last hour, watching Ryan move around the back yard, sawing wood and snapping the measuring tape. Ryan who’s shirtless, wearing nothing but cargo shorts and a tool belt, pencil behind his ear, sweating all over the place as the sun kisses gold all over his skin. 

There’s music playing, some alternative shit that Ryan lets him listen to on days like these, and Shane’s sipping on a beer. It’s been a while since Sunday has boasted such niceties, but he loves it, this wildly domesticated version of them, where Shane can leer at his stupidly handsome boyfriend flex his muscles as he wields a hammer. 

Shane hasn’t died, but he’s sure this is heaven.

:::

At night, they take to walking Bailey, holding hands as they talk (or argue). Bailey sniffs around happily as they lap around the neighborhood.

“Maybe,” Ryan says, tugging on Shane’s fingers. “Maybe we should get another dog.” 

“You think?” Shane asks, looking over at him. 

“Yeah. Bailey needs a sibling. I think we should adopt a fur-son.” 

Shane laughs, shaking his head. “Another golden retriever?”

“How about a chocolate lab?” Ryan pauses. “There’s a few at the shelter and there’s one that I sort of love.” 

“Only sort of?” Shane challenges. 

“Okay, I love him with all my heart, we need him.” 

Shane takes in a deep breath. “You think?” he repeats. 

“Please?” Ryan looks up at him with pretty brown eyes, like he knows it’s Shane’s weakness, and Shane rolls his eyes, even though he’s smiling. 

“What’s his name?” 

“He doesn’t have one yet. Thoughts?” 

“We’ll think of something,” Shane eases. 

They make their way home, and Ryan suggests they watch a movie before going to bed, and so they eventually settle on _Homeward Bound_. Ryan’s sniffling by the end of it and when he looks up at Shane with watery eyes, Shane already knows what he’s going to say. 

“Can we name him Shadow?” 

Shane laughs softly, kissing the top of Ryan’s head and nods. “Shadow it is.” 

:::

Shane and Shadow do not get along. Not immediately, anyway. He howls in the middle of the night, chews on furniture, and is constantly shitting in doorways. Bailey wasn’t like this, and it's cemented the fact that he’s not a dog-person, however, Ryan loves Shadow and Shane’s positive if it came down to him or the dog, Shane had better start packing. 

It’s difficult, but Shane comes around, when Shadow comes and nudges against Shane’s thigh when he’s sitting on the couch, asking to be loved, and Shane can’t help but love him. 

What Shane admires the most is that he lives up to his name and follows Bailey around the house, always wanting to play even when Bailey is content to sit on her bed. Shane’s taken to throwing balls for Shadow to catch in the backyard, but he doesn’t bring them back. It’s a work in progress.

There’s an afternoon, specifically, where Shane bursts with love for the little dog when he finally responds to the word _sit_. They’re out on the deck, and Shane calls Shadow over, and he comes loping like the little dope he is. 

“Sit, Shadow,” Ryan says, and Shadow looks up at Ryan, wagging his tail, panting. Ryan repeats himself, but Shadow just watches Ryan. Shane, laughing, calls Shadow and he comes, nudging him on the knees, barking happily. 

“Come on, buddy,” Shane says gently. “Shadow, sit.” 

And he _does_. 

“Good boy!” Shane says, and Ryan’s already walking inside for the treats, and when he returns, he gives one to Shadow. Shadow scarfs it down like an animal. 

“Did you see,” Shane says, smiling widely, giddy. “He listened to _me_.”

“Sure did. You’re the dog whisperer now, cause you got Shadow to sit,” Ryan teases, bumping into his shoulder.

“Don’t be jealous,” Shane says, kissing his cheek. 

Later that night, after dinner, Shane walks into the living room to find Bailey and Shadow curled up on the dog bed, and he snaps a photo. 

When he’s in bed, waiting for Ryan to finish brushing his teeth, he makes the photo his home screen background.

:::

The housewarming party is in full swing. Their friends are all here. Ned and Ariel brought their adorable son Wes. Keith and Beckie are playing cornhole with Zach and Maggie, and Eugene is sitting with Maya and Curly at a table. Kelsey and Annie are at it with darts, Andrew and Adam playing against them, while Steven, Mari, and Sara watch. It’s a pretty good turnout. 

They’ve set out platters of food and there’s music going. At some point, Keith is laying in the grass, Bailey and Shadow hopping all over him and Eugene affectionately rolls his eyes.

Shane is pleasantly buzzed off of Eugene’s very well-made cocktails. Fuck, he makes them _strong_. Ryan, however, is sober as hell, and it would be annoying, but Shane can’t keep his eyes off of him. 

It happens to be that he’s carrying Wes, and Wes has taken to Ryan so well that Ariel seems to be having the break she needs. She’s chatting with the girls while Ryan lugs him around, bouncing him on his hip when he gets a little fussy. Ryan catches Shane’s eyes from across the backyard, and when Shane waves, Ryan lifts one of Wes’ little hands to wave back. 

Shane hadn’t thought about children. There were a lot of kids in the world, and the world wasn’t doing so well, so there is no need to bring in anymore. But there was a weird feeling inside of him, like maybe he wants to see Ryan with a kid that’s _theirs_. Sitting on the floor playing with blocks and shapes, reading out loud about cows that moo and dogs that bark. Getting up in the middle of the night to feed the baby, changing diapers, giving baths, singing lullabies. 

“You have a look on your face.” 

“Hmm?” Shane turns and finds Eugene at his side, holding a glass with something aquamarine blue. Eugene eyes him, grinning.

“You’re, like, _oozing_ love,” he clarifies. “You got a thing for your boyfriend and babies?” 

There’s a momentary pause, because Shane hadn’t before, but he _does_ now. “I’m gonna marry that guy,” he says in lieu of an answer. 

“Oh?”

“Yeah. Just decided. Just decided I’m gonna ask him. I should ask him right now.” Shane takes a step forward, despite Eugene calling him back, but Eugene grabs him by the arm. 

“Hold your horses there, buddy,” he says. He doesn’t let Shane go. 

“What?”

“You just _decided?_ ” Eugene rolls his eyes. “You need at least a ring if you’re gonna be this impromptu about it.” 

“I have one. I’ve had one for the last...five months? Eugene—” Shane sighs. 

“ _Five_ —Jesus, Shane.” 

“I’ve been waiting. Thinking about some grand gesture or something. Thinking of whisking him away somewhere romantic where he can post it all over Instagram. But—but I want to do it right now. I don’t think I’ll have the same words if I keep waiting.” 

“Oh my God, please—” Eugene lets his arm go. “Go— _go_ , before I puke everywhere.” 

Shane grins at him, and leaves Eugene to walk up to Ryan where he’s holding baby Wes on his hip. 

“Hey,” Shane says. 

“Hey yourself.” Ryan looks at him, cocks his head to the side. “You okay?” 

“Yeah, never better,” Shane says with a smile. “Wanna meet me on the porch in like five?” 

Ryan is still looking at him curiously, but he nods. “You’re sure everything is okay?”

“Cross my heart,” Shane says. He leans in to give a kiss to Ryan’s cheek, and Ryan smiles bigger, brighter, and Shane’s never been more sure of a decision in his life.

:::

The ring had been hidden on the top shelf of the pantry, one where Ryan can’t easily reach and would never look there for something he really wanted since most of the time, it’s Shane doing the cooking. 

He’d gotten it the day after they’d moved into the house, taking a long lunch, looking through different colored bands. It hadn’t taken him long to pick one, one he thought Ryan might like. 

That night, he’d been cagey and a little aloof, which had led to an argument, but there had been so much Shane had been feeling then, he hadn’t known what to do with it all. He’s gotten better—in all honesty, he’d be a shame to Midwesterners everywhere. But Ryan deserved to know how much he loved him, and Shane tried to be as honest and open as he could. They moved into a house, for fuck’s sake. He sort of owed it to the man. And God, Shane wanted to give him everything he could. 

The ring isn’t anything extravagant, just a plain silver band in a little black box. It feels heavy in his hand as he slips it into his pocket and makes his way to the porch, where Ryan is waiting for him. Shane steps out of the house and closes the door behind him.

“It’s such a nice night,” Ryan says, leaning against the balustrade. “I’m glad everyone came.” 

The party can be heard, muted music and chattering voices. The night is thick with heat and Ryan looks good underneath the bright light of the porch lamp, skin glistening, cheeks flushed. Shane stands next to him, leaning in close.

“Where do you see us in five years?” Shane prompts. 

Ryan looks up at him, brows furrowed. “What do you mean?” 

“Just, paint me a picture,” Shane says, taking his hand. Ryan’s fingers twine with his. 

“It’s not much of a picture,” Ryan says. “Things change all the time. ‘Cept you. Sometimes I think we’ll have a bigger house by then, maybe another dog. Sometimes…” Ryan blushes. “Sometimes I think we’ll be married, and maybe I’ve convinced you to have a kid. Sometimes it’s just the two of us, downtown, eating hot dogs and looking at weird art you like. I’m a simple man.”

Shane laughs, shaking his head. “You’re anything but simple, Ryan. You’re kind of extraordinary, you know? You’re so smart, and funny, and _kind_. You put up with me, which—don’t know how you do it.” 

Ryan’s laugh is soft, and he leans into Shane, letting go of his hand just so he can lock his arms around Shane’s neck. Shane presses a kiss to his forearm, winding his arms around Ryan’s waist. 

“It’s easy,” Ryan teases. 

“And you love me.” 

“I do.” 

“I liked you the second I saw you in your cute blue vest trying to convince me to take Bailey home,” Shane murmurs. “Do you remember the morning after our first date? When you set all those alarms just so you could kiss me in the kitchen for three minutes?” 

Ryan laughs, nodding his head as he shoves his face into Shane’s chest. “Yeah?”

“Knew I loved you then. Right there in my kitchen, you walked away to get dressed for work, and I just stood there with my coffee in the kitchen just...in love with you.” 

Ryan’s head snaps up, and his eyes find Shane’s and his smile is small, but so fond. “After the first date?” he teases. 

“Don’t discount the billions of times I came to hang out with you _while you were working_ ,” Shane defends. “And do you remember when I brought Bailey home? And you told me you were a me-person.” Ryan’s smile grows and Shane leans in to kiss him, just once before untangling himself from Ryan’s grasp. He holds Ryan’s hands in his own.

He’d thought when it came to the actual moment of asking, he’d be nervous, and he is, but it’s the good kind of nervous. That rollercoaster kind. The middle of a good movie kind. The free-falling after jumping into the lake from a tire swing kind. 

“Why are we talking about all this?” Ryan asks, clutching Shane’s hands. 

“Because. Because I _know_ where I see us in five years. You just gotta answer a quick question for me.” 

Shane drops down onto one knee, taking one hand from Ryan’s and fishing out the little black box from his pocket. Ryan gasps, and when Shane looks up, his eyes are wide and glassy, and he has this wondrous surprise all over his face. He’s incredibly beautiful and Shane feels that good warmth swim inside of him, so lucky to have met him.

“Ryan, will—” 

The front door opens, and Keith is standing there, with Ned, Zach and Eugene. There’s an incredibly still moment as everyone’s eyes dart around. 

“ _Eugene_ ,” Shane hisses. 

“Sorry! I just—got excited,” he says, his face stony. 

“Will you give us a second?” Shane says, looking up at Ryan, who’s looking back between him and the ring and the guys in their doorway. 

“Absolutely not!” Ned says. “But if you pause, I’ll go get everyone.” 

Shane sighs and Ryan laughs, which is just contagious enough for everyone else to start laughing. Shane’s knee is starting to hurt, but it seems like Ryan is willing to wait, in this odd limbo, where he knows. And that’s cool with Shane, if that means Ryan is looking at him with his big brown eyes and excited smile. Shane smiles up at him and Ryan gives him a wink, the kind he’s so fond of because it’s horrible. It’s a horrible wink but he wants to be on the receiving end of that wink for the rest of his life.

After a handful of moments, the entire porch is filled to the brim with their friends. Bailey comes and sits aside Shane, Shadow loping behind her. Cameras are on them, and Ned, from the back of the crowd yells, “And action!” 

“Idiot,” Shane mutters. “Okay, so should I start from the beginning with how much I love you?”

“No, no, please, I love you, too, just—” Ryan waves his hand. “Just continue.” 

“Okay, okay.” Shane nods, grinning, looking up at Ryan and catching the sparkle of his eyes. “Ryan, will you marry m—” 

Shane isn’t prepared for the way Ryan tackles him, just arms and legs and his whole body taking Shane down against the wooden floor of the porch. There’s a sharp little pain in his back, but it pales in comparison to the touch of Ryan’s lips against his own, the way he pulls back, just enough to say, “Yes.” 

Their friends erupt in laughter, hollering, applause and congratulations, but it’s just blind noise to the way Ryan casually whispers. “You gotta get everyone to leave now because the second everyone’s gone, you’re gonna fuck me into next Tuesday.” 

Shane bursts into laughter and pulls Ryan down for a kiss. 

:::

No one gets kicked out and the party goes well into the night. Everyone congratulates them and there are many, many shots taken. It’s almost a blur, but Shane feels like the whole night will be a staple in some of his greatest memories. 

Shane’s leaning against the counter in the kitchen, a little introspective. Ned finds him, pink cheeked and shiny eyed. 

“Hey, man,” he says. “Congratulations!” 

“Yeah, thanks!” Shane says, smiling. He looks out of the window, finds Ryan in the midst of people, in the middle of a story, cradling a sleepy Wes against his chest. 

“You got the dog, and the guy, _and_ the house. You’re all grown up now,” Ned says, pretending to wipe a tear away. 

“You know, it feels good. Did you feel like this after you proposed to Ariel?” Shane wonders. 

“I did. And it just gets better, man. It’s not always easy, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. Just wait until you get married. There’s nothing else like it. And you’ll know exactly what I mean, because I know you love Ryan the same way I love Ariel.” Ned taps him on the shoulder. 

“Feels good,” Shane says again.

Ned laughs. “I’m happy for you. And think, three years ago, you were a sad, mopey giant.” 

“I was _not_ mopey.” 

“But you weren’t happy, were you?”

“I was doing okay,” Shane says. “But it’s nothing like now.” 

“I’m happy for you, Shane. Really. You did good. Everyone loves Ryan. Even Eugene loves Ryan. And Eugene doesn't like anyone.” 

Shane laughs, and then somehow, he finds himself hugging Ned. 

“Can’t say you can be my best man, since I have a brother,” Shane says, “but I’d be honored if you were a groomsman.”

“Shane!” Ned exclaims. “I thought you’d never ask.” 

They share a laugh, and the two of them walk outside, and Ryan finds him on the deck, sidling up to him. 

“It’s a good night,” Ryan says, looking up at him with sparkling eyes. “And I’m so in love with you.”

“Yikes!” Shane says, but he turns and grabs Ryan by the waist and pulls him in for a kiss.

:::

It’s almost six in the morning and everyone has gone home. Ryan and Shane have been in the backyard, recounting the last two and a half years together between lazy, tired kisses. The buzz of alcohol has well worn off. The pups are asleep in the grass. Everything is so good Shane feels it buzzing all over his skin.

“You know,” Ryan says, raking his fingers through Shane’s messy hair. “There is still one thing we haven’t done. Remember when we went to that wine bar and you took me back to your apartment—” 

“I specifically remember you telling me I was stuck with you,” Shane says, laughing. 

“Well, you are. Voluntarily, might I add, considering the ring and all.” Ryan looks up at him through his lashes. “Do you remember, though? Getting drunk off the wine and…”

Shane’s brain immediately goes to one of his fondest memories. “Are you trying to get me to fuck you in a bathtub?”

Ryan grins, looking him straight in the eyes. “Yes, I am. Is it working?”

“Nope,” Shane says, but Ryan calls him a liar before he kisses him.

:::

They let the dogs in, and Shane feeds them as Ryan draws a bath. 

In the bathroom, Shane undresses from his clothes, leaving himself naked. Ryan does the same, pulling off his t-shirt and his pants. Shane stares unabashedly, and Ryan leans his whole body against Shane, arms locked around his neck.

Ryan’s kisses are like wildfire, and he’s but a sheet of paper caught in the disaster. His skin is hot; his tongue is sinful, stroking over Shane’s, sending shocks down his spine, heat settling in the lowest part of his belly. This; this is paradise in the simplest sense. He presses his hand down Ryan’s back, feeling his muscles tense and relax. Shane’s bold enough to reach lower, gripping his hand over Ryan’s ass. Ryan shudders against him, and Shane swallows his groan.

“Fuck,” Ryan breathes against Shane’s mouth, his fingers gripping Shane’s shoulders. Ryan licks his tongue over Shane’s bottom lip, biting.

Shane fumbles a hand over the counter, pulling open a drawer, rifling blindly to find the silicone lube they use when Ryan’s in the mood for shower sex. Blindly, messily, he’s certain, he manages to slick up his fingers, slipping them just to tease over Ryan’s hole. Ryan shudders in his arms, mouthing sloppy over his collar, biting when Shane slides his fingers inside. 

“ _Yes_ ,” Ryan hisses, reaching up to grip his fingers in Shane’s hair, and Shane takes his time, hard against Ryan’s belly, shifting his hips just to relieve the pressure. 

“You drive me insane,” Shane says, and Ryan grins, releasing himself from Shane’s grasp. 

“Get in first.”

Shane does, lowering himself into the hot water. It’s just this side of uncomfortable, and the rest of his body feels too cold. Ryan, suddenly armed with a lighter, turns on a few candles, shutting the bathroom light off; morning sunlight streams in, but the candlelight flickers against the walls.

“Romantic,” Shane says, and in this light, he can’t quite make out the intricate details of Ryan’s face, but he knows there’s a blush there.

“Yeah, well, that’s what happens when you’re in love,” Ryan says, stepping in carefully between Shane’s legs, moving in close so he can set his knees on either side of Shane’s hips.

“You’re in love?” Shane murmurs. “With who?” Shane sets his hands on Ryan’s chest. 

Ryan quirks an eyebrow, taking Shane’s hands in his own. “I love your hands,” he says. “Your big, long fingers.” Shane takes them and touches them to Ryan’s hips, then behind, to press his fingers inside again. Ryan chokes a soft little sigh, his fingers gripping Shane’s shoulders.

“Love _you_ ,” Shane whispers. Ryan makes a strangled noise, running his fingers through Shane’s hair. The water laps at their skin as Shane fucks his fingers inside of Ryan; Shane throws his head back, startled when Ryan grips a hand around his cock.

They fall quiet, just their breaths and the gentle splashes of water as their bodies move. Ryan sinks onto Shane like he was made for it, like them, connected this way—it was always how it was supposed to feel.

Their fucking isn’t slow, isn’t syrupy. This is something dirty, raw—he feels the intense heat of the water, Ryan a million times hotter, tight around him. Ryan fucks himself on Shane’s lap, wrists resting on Shane’s shoulders, fingers tugging at Shane’s hair.

“ _Oh_ , yes, yes, yes…”

It’s so much, touching Ryan, watching him like this, reckless and wild, a fiend for Shane’s body. It’s good, so good, the way Ryan let’s Shane control his hips, shift from quick to slow, deep thrusts that make Ryan throw his head back, bearing his neck. Shane kisses, nips, marks—any flesh he can reach with the hunger of his mouth, listening to the way the acoustics in the bathroom echo the sound of their sex.

It’s a marvel; he can see the grooves of Ryan’s muscles, the way his forearms and biceps flex when Shane strokes just right. Ryan shouts Shane’s name and the fervor returns, where Ryan steals the control back, licking into Shane’s mouth in some half kiss that has Shane coming faster than he’d wanted to. 

It never gets old, the feeling of coming inside of Ryan, the way he whimpers, curses, tugs Shane’s hair with his fingers. He’s out of breath, eyes closed, but he can hear the lap of water again, quick. He’s still inside of Ryan, and Ryan is stroking himself off, chanting Shane’s name, and Shane is useless, helpless, just watches with heavy lidded eyes, saying, “Come on, baby,” resting one hand on Ryan’s chest, and then Ryan comes, jolting, whining. He keeps his eyes open, looking back at Shane. And then collapses onto Shane’s chest.

After a moment, Ryan shifts, letting Shane slip out of him. They don’t really move, still warm in the dirty sex-water.

“I think my dick is gonna chafe,” Shane jokes, and Ryan laughs, a lovely carefree sound that makes warmth bloom in Shane’s chest.

“I can’t wait to marry you, you giant idiot.” Ryan presses kisses all over his face and Shane pulls him in close. 

“You sure you want to?” Shane asks him, half teasing, half serious. Ryan looks at him, shiny eyes, morning light catching his skin. Shane takes Ryan’s left hand, kisses the ring on his finger.

“We’ll see. I might find some common sense when I wake up,” Ryan says, but he’s smiling, arms coming around Shane’s shoulders. “Come on, now we gotta shower and then I want to sleep for the next eighteen hours. I’m gonna need my energy for all this engagement sex we’re gonna have.” 

Shane laughs, but he helps Ryan up, and they kiss some more, under morning sunlight filtering through the curtains, candlelight flickering. 

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading. im [here](https://uneventfulhouses.tumblr.com/) if you wanna chat. hearts and love.


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